صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

DIRECTORY

FOR

The Publick Worship of G o D,

Agreed upon by

The Affembly of Divines at Westminster, with Commiffioners from the Church of Scotland, as a Part of the Covenanted Uniformity in Religion betwixt the Churches of Chrift in the Three Kingdoms of Scotland, England and Ireland.

WITH

An ACT of the General Affembly of the Church of Scotland, Anno 1645, for Establishing and Obferving this prefent DIRECTORY,

Together with

An Act of Parliament 1645, Approving and Establishing the fame.

I Cor. xiv. 40. Let all Things be done decently, and

in Order.

Ver. 26.

-Let all Things be done to edifying.

Printed in the Year 1764.

ACTS approving the Directory.

Edinburgh, May 17, 1645. Poft meridiem.

He Commiffioners of the General Affembly having

tory for publick Worship, fent, unto them from their Brethren now in England, and finding the fame agreeable to the Form approven in the late General Affembly; Do therefore, according to the Power committed to them by the faid Affembly, Ordain and Require the faid Directory for the publick Worship of God, to be forthwith practifed and obferved by all the Minifters and others within this Kirk, whom it doth concern; and that all fuch Rules and Practices be laid afide, as may fruftrate the Intent of the Directory. And, for this Effect, it is alfo ordained, That this Directory, with the Preface, together with the Acts of the General Affembly, and of the Parliament of this Kingdom eftablishing the fame, be prefently printed for the Ufe of this Kirk; wherein Mr. Andrew Ker, Clerk to the Commiffion of the As fembly, is required to ufe all poffible Care and Diligence; and he is hereby authorized with full Power to caufe, print, and reprint the fame from Time to Time, as there fhall be Occafion. A. KER.

Charles I. Parl. 3. Seff. 5.

An Act of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Scotland, approving and establishing the Directory for Publick Worbip

[ocr errors]

At Edinburgh, February 6, 1645

He Eftates of Parliament now conveened, in the Second Seffion of this firft Triennial Parliament, by vertue of the last Act of the laft Parliament, holden by his Majefty and the three Estates in Anno 1641, after publick Reading, and ferious Confideration of the Act

under

[ocr errors]

under-written of the General Affembly, approving the following Directory for the publick Worfhip of God in the Three Kingdoms, lately united by the Solemn League and Covenant, together with the Ordinance of the Parliament of England establishing the faid Directory*, and the Directory itself, do heartily and cheerfully agree to the faid Directory, according to the Act of the General Affembly approving the fame. Which Act, together with the Directory itself, the Estates of Parliament do, without a contrary Voice, ratifie and approve in all the Heads and Articles thereof; and do interpone and add the Authority of Parliament to the said Act of the General Affembly. And do ordain the fame to have the Strength and Force of a Law and Act of Parliament, and Execution to pafs thereupon, for obferving the faid Directory, according to the faid Act of the General Affembly in all Points.

ALEX. GIBSON Cler. Regiftri.

Affembly at Edinburgh, February 3. 1645. Seff. 10.

Alt of the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland, for eftablishing and putting in Execution of the Directory for the publick Worship of God.

Hereas an happy Unity, and Uniformity in Reli

Kingdoms, united under one Sovereign, hath been long and earnestly wished for by the Godly and Well-affected amongst us, was propounded as a main Article of the large Treaty, without which Band and Bulwark, no fafe, well-grounded and lafting Peace could be expected; and afterward, with greater Strength and Maturity, revived in the Solemn League and Covenant of the Three Kingdoms; whereby they ftand ftraitly obliged to endeavour the nearest Uniformity in one Form

N 4

See Collection of Acts, No. 28.

of

of Church-Government, Directory of Worship, Confeffion of Faith, and Form of Catechifing: Which hath alfo be fore, and fince our entring into that Covenant, been the Matter of many Supplications and Remonftrances, and fending Commiffioners to the King's Majefty, of Decla rations to the Honourable Houfes of the Parliament of England, and of Letters to the Reverend Assembly of Di. vines, and others of the Miniftry of the Kirk of Eng land, being alfo the End of our fending Commissioners, as was defired from this Kirk, with Commiffion to treat of Uniformity in the four Particulars afore-mentioned, with fuch Committees as should be appointed by both Houfes of the Parliament of England, and by the Af fembly of Divines fitting at Wellminfter; And befide all this, it being, in Point of Conscience, the chief Motive and End of our adventuring upon manifold and great Hazards, for quenching the devouring Flame of the prefent unnatural and bloody War in England, though to the weakening of this Kingdom within itfelf, and the Advantage of the Enemy which hath invaded it, accounting nothing too dear to us, fo that this our Joy be fulfilled. And now this great Work being fo far advan ced, that a Directory for the publick Worship of God in all the Three Kingdoms, being agreed upon by the Honourable Houfes of the Parliament of England, after Confultation with the Divines of both Kingdoms there affembled, and fent to us for our Approbation, that, being alfo agreed upon by this Kirk and Kingdom of Scotland, it may be in the Name of both Kingdoms prefented to the King, for his Royal Confent and Rati fication; The General Affembly having moft feriously confidered, revifed, and examined the Directory afore. mentioned, after feveral publick Readings of it, after much Deliberation, both publickly, and in private Com mittees, after full Liberty given to all to object against it, and earnest Invitations of all who have any Scruples about it, to make known the fame, that they might be fatisfied; Doth unanimoufly, and without a contrary Voice, agree to, and approve the following Directory, in all the Heads thereof, together with the Preface fet

before

before it: And doth require, decern, and ordain, That according to the plain Tenor and Meaning thereof, and the Intent of the Preface, it be carefully and uniformly obferved and practifed by all the Minifters and others within this Kingdom, whom it doth concerns which Practice fhall be begun, upon Intimation given to the feveral Prefbyteries from the Commissioners of this Ge neral Affembly, who fhall alfo take special Care for the timeous printing of this Directory, that a printed Copy of it be provided and kept for the Use of every Kirk in this Kingdom: Alfo, that each Prefbytery have a printed Copy thereof for their Use, and take special Notice of the Obfervation or Neglect thereof in every Congregation within their Bounds, and make known the fame to the Provincial or Geperal Affembly, as there shall be Caufe. Provided always, that the Claufe in the Direc tory, of the Administration of the LORD's Supper, which mentioneth the Communicant's fitting about the Table, or at it, be not interpreted, as if, in the Judgment of this Kirk, it were indifferent, and free for any of the Communicants, not to come to, and receive at the Table; or as if we did approve the diftributing of the Elements by the Minister to each Communicant, and not by the Communicants among themfelves. It is alfo provided, That this fhall be no Prejudice to the Order and Practice of this Kirk, in fuch Particulars as are appointed by the Books of Difcipline, and Acts of General Affemblies, and are not otherwife ordered and appointed in the Directory.

Finally, The Affembly doth, with much Joy and Thankfulness, acknowledge the rich Bleffing and invaluable Mercy of God, in bringing the fo much wifhedfor Uniformity in Religion to fuch a happy Period, that thefe Kingdoms, once at fo great Distance in the Form of Worthip, are now by the Bleffing of God brought to a nearer Uniformity than any other reformed Kirks; which is unto us the Return of our Prayers, and a Lightning of our Eyes, and Reviving of our Hearts, in the midft of our many Sorrows and Sufferings; a taking away, in a great Meafure, the Re

proach

« السابقةمتابعة »